At the SEC's Kickoff '85 in Birmingham, Crimson Tide center Wes Neighbors predicts Alabama will be vastly improved over last year's disappointing 5-6 finish, the first losing season for Alabama since 1957. "We're tired of making excuses," says Neighbors. "It's payback time for Alabama." Neighbors joins head coach Ray Perkins and teammate Kerry Goode at the first SEC Kickoff function which replaces the old Skywriter's Tour.

Coach Frank Thomas found replacing Dixie Howell and Don Hutson an unenviable undertaking and the 6-2-1 season was a disappointment. An opening day 7-7 tie with Howard (now Samford) and a season-ending Thanksgiving Day loss to Vanderbilt (14-6) accentuated the fact this Bama team was a notch below the previous two championship squads.

However, on a fateful third Saturday in October, Paul "Bear" Bryant displayed the iron resolution that would become his trademark in years to come by playing with a broken leg against old foe Tennessee. Bryant was magnificent in a 25-0 victory. An Atlanta paper doubting the veracity of the report of the fractured bone requested x-rays to impugn the credibility of the Tide medical staff. The x-rays proved without question, the end named Bryant had indeed competed in an agonizing situation.

A 20-16 win over Georgia Tech in Atlanta later that year further augmented a rebuilding year for Bama. Riley Smith was a Bama All-American in '35Coach Frank Thomas found replacing Dixie Howell and Don Hutson an unenviable undertaking and the 6-2-1 season was a disappointment. An opening day 7-7 tie with Howard (now Samford) and a season-ending Thanksgiving Day loss to Vanderbilt (14-6) accentuated the fact this Bama team was a notch below the previous two championship squads.
However, on a fateful third Saturday in October, Paul "Bear" Bryant displayed the iron resolution that would become his trademark in years to come by playing with a broken leg against old foe Tennessee. Bryant was magnificent in a 25-0 victory. An Atlanta paper doubting the veracity of the report of the fractured bone requested x-rays to impugn the credibility of the Tide medical staff. The x-rays proved without question, the end named Bryant had indeed competed in an agonizing situation.
A 20-16 win over Georgia Tech in Atlanta later that year further augmented a rebuilding year for Bama. Riley Smith was a Bama All-American in '35

Notes: Alabama continues to travel outside "Dixie" going to Washington, D.C. to play George Washington and winning 39-0. Riley Smith is picked as the first recipient of the Jacobs Trophy, given to the best blocker in the SEC.